Colombo, 20 March 2017: This morning, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, accepted the credentials of Ms. Ritsu Nacken as the new Representative for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in Sri Lanka.

Presenting her credentials, Ms. Nacken, said: “Building on the nearly 50 year partnership between Sri Lanka and UNFPA, we are committed to continue supporting the Government in ensuring reproductive rights of women and young people in line with the Sustainable Development Goals framework.”

The Foreign Minister recognized the importance of UNFPA’s presence in Sri Lanka while acknowledging the strong partnership with UNFPA, particularly in the area of youth participation in peace building, gender equality and sexual and reproductive health.

Ms. Nacken, a Japanese national, has been in the UN system for over 15 years, holding positions in New York, Fiji, Ethiopia, and most recently as the Deputy Representative of UNFPA in Viet Nam.

She has a Master of Science in Non-Profit Management and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies.